A survey of 60 teachers of severely/multiply handicapped children found that the majority had students who used electronic devices in the classroom and found the devices, in general, to be beneficial. Teachers felt that the devices helped the students to function, though they did report problems using them. (JDD)

The paper reviews the nonverbal behaviors of students with severe/multiple handicaps and demonstrates parallels between their communication development and that of normally developing children. Discussed are the roles of the adult and child in the communicative exchange and examples of communicative behavior typically seen in children with…

A forward graduated guidance procedure was used to increase the independent dressing skills of two profoundly multihandicapped adolescents living in a noninstitutional environment. One subject reached criterion and treatment gains generalized to other settings. The other subject failed to reach criterion but required fewer prompts after training.…

Investigation of the quality of programing for 35 students with severe multiple disabilities found that individualized education programs contained many age-inappropriate and nonfunctional objectives, and that students with little voluntary movement received more passive instruction than students who were more physically able. (Author/DB)

This article examines the possibility that a variety of other psychiatric disorders may be associated with conduct disorders in children, and these additional disorders may require very different interventions. Extrapolation of symptoms from classroom inattention or disruptive behavior and estimated prevalence are discussed. (Author/DB)

This study, involving 118 adolescents and adults with deafness, found a high level of concurrent criterion validity for the National Independent Living Skills (NILS) Screening Instrument. The study concluded that the NILS is a valid tool for assessing independent living skills of persons age 16 and older with a hearing impairment and possible…

This article reviews applications of the applied behavior analysis ideas of B. F. Skinner and others to persons with both mental retardation and emotional disturbance. The review examines implications of behavior analysis for operant conditioning and radical behaviorism, schedules of reinforcement, and emotion and mental illness. (DB)

This article describes the need for early intervention for behavioral/emotional problems in special needs children. The model of the Behavioral Consultation Service of the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Infants and Toddlers Program is applied to an infant with multiple disabilities, demonstrating relevant issues, intervention strategies to address…

The Communication Observation Schedule (COS) records systematically the pragmatics of communication with children who have deaf-blindness and are functioning from the prelanguage to true words level. The COS provides the opportunity to record the purpose of an interaction, who initiates and who responds to it, the mode of response, and whether the…

Visual accents can create unique communication graphics to increase attending behavior necessary for learning symbol/referent relationships by students with severe vision loss. Accenting procedures use size, color, contrast, shape, and graphic pattern to enhance the probability that the learner will self-initiate attending to the visual symbol.…

Case studies are presented of three autistic adolescents who exhibited catatonia, and it is concluded that catatonia may be a sign of a comorbid condition (such as bipolar disorder) in autistic individuals. Autistic individuals with various other psychiatric, neurological, medical, and drug-related conditions may be at greater risk for catatonic…

This paper offers a model for planning services for children who are both mentally retarded and autistic. The model and recommendations for the residential therapeutic environment are organized according to the main axes of child development (biological, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). (Author/DB)

State conditions and environmental variables were measured over a 5-hour period for 25 students (ages 3-21) with profound and multiple handicaps. Results showed the presence of state sequence patterns, short state change periods, and a relatively small amount of association between specific behavior states and environmental factors and events.…

This article summarizes recent research into incidence of speech and language disorders in behaviorally handicapped children. Issues facing clinicians working with these children are discussed, including speech-language objectives and techniques, appropriate behavior management techniques, and consultation with other professionals. (Author/PB)

This directory lists contact information for programs for the deaf-blind in the United States in 3 categories: (1) programs for deaf-blind children and youth (29 programs listed); (2) Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults (1 national and 10 regional offices); and (3) programs for training teachers of the deaf-blind (4…